Kerry is either paired with Bush or cast in an unflattering light by media

[linazelle]

I'm noticing that the "news" shows treat Bush and Kerry like inseperable twins. That is, you don't see Kerry unless you see Bush—except, when Kerry does or says something unflattering or potentially damaging.

CNN just ran a "comparison" between Bush's economic policies and Kerry's proposals. The "journalist" conveniently concluded both will increase the deficit after comparing Bush's crazy idea to let people invest retirement funds in the stock market to Kerry's sound proposal of tax cuts for the massive middle class and raised taxes on the wealthy.

It's not just CNN though. I have seen the same comparison crap on the Today Show and while surfing through MSNBC and other stations. I’m not saying that the comparison should not be done, I'm saying that they are glossing over the real substance in the proposals and invariably concluding that Kerry has no advantage over Bush.

The Today Show, when airing Kerry in their "comparisons" has, on several occasions tempered Kerry's potent remarks by saying "Kerry attacked" Bush. Then they will say something like "Bush chided" Kerry for..." making it sound like Kerry's in some kind of losing cat fight with Bush who is doing nothing more than flicking away a nuisance or a pest. In fact, for weeks, the pundits have accused Kerry of attacking Bush for stating the truth about his policies. Another subtle way to make Kerry look bad and Bush look good even when Kerry is on point.

CNN showed an extremely hoarse Kerry talking about Bush's failed military record a little while ago. It was very unflattering and I'm sure they will air it over and over tonight.

I just wanted to share my observations and ask if anyone else is noticing the same thing.

[JDPriestly]

1. Stop watching and let them know you stopped.

TV relies on advertisers' dollars. If we stop watching, they will eventually go broke. Of course, we aren't that many people, but if we let others know that we are shutting off our TVs as a protest, many of them will join us. Don't listen or watch their lies and half-truths. They are poison.

[linazelle]

3. I think it's important to keep watching and to see what dirty tricks

they are up to. Ignoring it won't make the problem go away, listening and calling them on the carpet will. And I have done that.

[goclark]

2. You are on target

It makes me physically ill to watch TV now.

All of the stations do the same thing.
They are all marching to the same Rove drum beat.

How can they all be such sell outs?

Have you noticed that whenever one ventures out for a second,they quickly have to redeem themselves.

I noticed Candy Slime Crowley the other night. She was in such pain because she couldn't think fast enough to say something mean.
They asked her was the Kerry Camp "down" because of the poll numbers.
She twitched and finally said,"not so much this week as last week."

You could tell, she would not have the honor of sitting at the foot of the boy king the next day.

They are drugged and it is so sad. They are all spineless wonders.

[linazelle]

4. I wonder how they can all repeat the same lies and distortions too

Watching the news today is like looking into a carnival mirror--where a chimp might look like a real president.

[robbedvoter]

5. I saw this show in 2000 - turned off teevee since.

[AlinPA]

6. Agree, I posted yesterday on this. Lots of remarks by "news" people

to twist things
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=857117&mesg_id=857117

[AirAmFan]

7. I agree. I couldn't believe NBC Nightly News last night, reporting on how BOTH

Kerry and Bush had "avoided press conferences" this summer. The correspondent pointed out that Kerry's last press conference was "in early August". Yet there was NO MENTION of the date of Dubya's last full press conference--April 2004! And the report stated that the American public "accepts" the unwillingness of candidates to face the press. But there was NO MENTION of the fact that Dubya occupies the PRESIDENCY and, as the sitting incumbent, is or should be accountable to the American people every day.

[linazelle]

8. That's exactly the kind of distortion that I'm talking about

Kerry is not the president either and is not obligated, as Bush is, to hold conferences. Your example also illustrates the pairing of the two--again. They pair them even when it's not relevant just to temper any advantage Kerry might have.

[DeepModem Mom]

9. I think they're getting worse --

We know these people have no sense of responsible journalism, but what I wonder is if they EVER give one thought to the actual effect of what they're doing, not only on the country, but on their childrens' lives and future.

[high density]

10. "Bush said this" and "Kerry said that"

So many folks in the media are lazy. You're exactly right: They'll air Kerry saying something, then they'll show a Bush sound bite, no matter how inaccurate, to neutralize it. That's just what they do now. The same basic thing often applies in the opposite way as well. There's no filtering of the fiction and the spin. When it comes to politics they're acting like nothing more than a press release machine for both sides (often it seems more for one side than the other.)

It's no surprise that many people find this to be a very negative campaign. Most of the stuff aired on the news seems to be Bush taking a dig at Kerry and then Kerry taking a dig at Bush. There's little substance about "here's the candidate's position" presented because they want ad buys from the campaigns.

I have a tiny bit of hope, though. It seems that some in the media are getting tired of the flip flop thing coming from the Bush campaign:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/archive/2004/09/23/KERRY.TMP

I used to watch cable news all of the time. When I was in college I usually had CNN on for hours a day as backgound noise. Now I'm down to watching the CBS Evening News every night and getting a lot of news online (which used to be mostly from CNN.COM, but I can't even trust their website anymore.)